Eek I was incredibly excited to receive a copy of The Society Of The Objects by Gareth Brown today. I was a huge fan of his debut novel, The Book Of Doors, so I can’t wait to read this one soon.

Huge thanks to the amazing Ollie Martin for sending this to me it’s really appreciated.

Out August 2025.

Find out more about the book below ⬇️

Book Synopsis:

The world of unknowable objects – magical items that most people have no idea possess powers – has been quiet for decades . . .

But three current members of a secret society have remained watchful, meeting every six months in the basement of a bookshop in London. They are pledged to protect their archive of magical items hidden away, safe from the outside world – and keep the world safe from them. But when Frank Simpson, the longest-standing member of the Society of Unknowable Objects, hears of a new artefact coming to light in Hong Kong, he sends the Society’s newest member, author Magda Sparks, to investigate.

Within hours of arriving in Hong Kong, Magda is facing death and danger, confronted by a professional killer who seems to know all about unknowable objects, specifically one that was stolen from him a decade before. Magda is forced to flee, using an artefact that not even the rest of the Society knows about.

Returning to London, Magda learns hers is not the only secret being kept from the other two members. And that the most pernicious secret is about the nature of the Society’s mission. Her discoveries will lead her on a perilous journey, across the Atlantic to the deep south of the United States – not in pursuit of an unknowable object, but an unknowable person: the killer she first faced in Hong Kong. In doing so, Magda begins to understand that there are even more in the world who are chasing these magical items, and that her own family’s legacy is tied up in keeping all these secrets under wraps.

Magic has always been too powerful to reveal to the world. But Magda will learn there might be something even more powerful: the truth.

About The Author:

Gareth Brown wanted to be a writer from a very young age, and he completed his first novel as a teenager. That novel wasn’t very good and he’s been working on his writing ever since. For the last twenty years he has worked in the UK Civil Service and the NHS while writing in his spare time.

When not working or writing, Gareth loves travelling, especially the whirlwind first few hours in a new city and long road trips through beautiful landscapes. He enjoys barbecues, patisseries, playing pool, and falling asleep in front of the television like an old man.

Gareth lives with his wife and two excitable Skye terriers near Edinburgh in Scotland.

Good morning everyone and happy Thursday. I saw this on the lovely @mynextreads page and knew I had to join in!

🗣️A Book I’m Desperate To Get To
📓 Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
I’ve been hearing lots of great things about this one so I’m excited to read it soon. I love books set in space so the idea of a lovely story set in space intrigued me.

🗣️A Book I Have High Hopes For
📓 Human Remains by Jo Callaghan
I’ve been a huge fan of this series so I can’t wait to read the next installment. I’m waiting until I have a free day with the kids back at school as I don’t think I’ll want to put it down.

🗣️A Book From My Favourite Genre
📓The Eight by Joanna Miller
I’m a huge fan of historical fiction and I think I’m going to love this one. I love books about periods of history I’ve not heard about before and which feature strong women so this book ticks both of those boxes.

🗣️A Book I’ve Been Putting Off
📓The Maid’s Secret by Nita Prose
I’ve been a huge fan of this series and I’m very sad this is going to be the last book. I’ve been putting it off as I want to wait for a moment where I can really savour it.

🗣️A Book Recommended To Me By A Bookstagrammer
📓The Nesting by Roisin O’Donnell
I’ve had a few people recommend this book to me! I’m worried it’s going to be too sad for me but I’m excited to try it

🗣️A Book That’s Been On My Tbr for Too Long.
📓The Artist by Lucy Steeds
I’ve been trying to read this since it came out in January and it was nominated for a few book awards. I’m determined to try and read it soon as everyone keeps saying it’s brilliant!

🗣️A Book I Want To Take My Time With
📓Babel by RF Kuang
This is another book that has been on my tbr for ages. I know I’m going to love it and I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long to get to. I’ll hopefully read this soon or on holiday in the summer at least 🤣

I’ve tagged a few people who might want to take part but, as always, no pressure!

Good evening everyone and happy Thursday. Today was my last day at work for four days so I’m excited to have some time off. I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Ruth Wares new book The Woman In Suite 11 this week.

I’m a huge fan of Ruth’s and I’ve loved all of her previous books so I’m very excited that she has a new book coming out. This is actually a sequel to The Woman In Cabin 10 which is one of my favourite books by her so I can’t wait to read it.

Huge thanks to the lovely Rhys from Simon and schuster for sending this to me it’s really appreciated.

The Woman In Suite 11 is out on the 17th July 2025 and you can find out more about the book below ⬇️

Is this book on your radar?

Book Synopsis:

In this gripping follow-up to bestselling author Ruth Ware’s multi-million-copy mega-hit The Woman in Cabin 10 – coming soon to Netflix, starring Keira Knightley – Lo Blacklock returns to attend the opening of a luxury hotel, only to find herself in a white-knuckled race across Europe.
 
When the invitation to attend the press opening of a luxury Swiss hotel – owned by reclusive billionaire Marcus Leidmann – arrives, it’s like the answer to a prayer. Three years after the birth of her youngest child, Lo Blacklock is ready to re-establish her journalism career, but post-pandemic travel journalism is a very different landscape from the one she left ten years ago. 
 
The chateau on the shores of Lake Geneva is everything Lo’s ever dreamed of, and she hopes she can snag an interview with Marcus. Unfortunately, he proves to be even more difficult to pin down than his reputation suggests. When Lo gets a late-night call asking her to come to Marcus’s hotel room, she agrees despite her own misgivings. She’s greeted, however, by a woman claiming to be Marcus’s mistress, and in life-or-death jeopardy.  
 
What follows is a thrilling cat-and-mouse pursuit across Europe, forcing Lo to ask herself just how much she’s willing to sacrifice to save this woman…and if she can even trust her?

About The Author:

Ruth Ware is an international number one bestseller. Her thrillers In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, The Lying Game, The Death of Mrs Westaway, The Turn of the Key, One by One and The It Girl have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, including the Sunday Times and New York Times, and she is published in more than 40 languages. She lives on the south coast of England, with her family.

Visit http://www.ruthware.com to find out more, or find her on facebook or twitter as @RuthWareWriter

Book Synopsis:

Fiction can be fatal…
 
Living in exile in Venice, the disgraced Lord Byron revels in the freedoms of the city
But when he is associated with the deaths of local women, found with wounds to their throats, and then a novel called The Vampyre is published under his name, rumours begin to spread that Byron may be the murderer…
 
As events escalate and tensions rise – and his own life is endangered, as well as those he holds most dear – Byron is forced to play detective, to discover who is really behind these heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the scandals of his own infamous past come back to haunt him…
 
Rich in gothic atmosphere and drawing on real events and characters from Byron’s life, Dangerous is a riveting, dazzling historical thriller, as decadent, dark and seductive as the poet himself…

My Review:

Fearless is an engrossing, twisty gothic delight from one of my favourite writers.

Firstly I loved the way this book is written which helps draw the reader into the story and transport them to 19th Century Venice. The author’s descriptions were incredibly vivid and I often felt like I was actually there walking the streets alongside Lord Byron. I especially loved that the author included difference in the lives between the rich and poor in the city as it helped give me a more holistic view of Venice at that time.

The author perfectly blends fact with fiction to help bring a historical figure to life. Lord Byron is someone I’ve heard of before but I didn’t know much about before reading this book. I always enjoy books where you can Google the characters and find out more about them.

I thought that the mystery elements of this story were really well done and I loved the gradual increase in tension as the story continues. There seemed to be a constant feeling of danger which made the book very gripping so I quickly found it hard to put down. There were lots of twists that kept me guessing and a few characters that surprised me which I always love.

Huge thanks to Anne from Random Things Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Orenda books for my copy of this book. If you love gripping historical fiction then I highly recommend this one.

About The Author:

Essie Fox was raised in Herefordshire, on the borders of Wales. After studying English Literature at Sheffield University she worked in magazine and book publishing, before developing a career in commercial illustration.

Always an avid reader, Essie now writes gothic novels. Her debut, The Somnambulist, was shortlisted for the 2012 National Book Awards, and featured on Channel 4’s TV Book Club. This was followed by Elijah’s Mermaid, and then The Goddess and the Thief. The Last Days of Leda Grey was selected as The Times Historical Book of the Month.The Fascination became an instant Sunday Times bestseller.

Coming in April 2025 is Dangerous – a dark mystery set in Venice and based on the life of Lord Byron.

Essie has been a guest on UK radio stations, including Woman’s Hour. She has lectured at the Victoria & Albert Museum, and the National Gallery in London, as well as appearing at many literary festivals and events.

Good morning everyone! Today on Two For Tuesday I’m featuring two books about music or musicians.

🩷The Griffin Sisters by Jennifer Weiner
🧡Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley

Both of these are tbr but I’m so excited to read them soon as I keep hearing great things. Music has always been a passion for me so I always love books that have music in them as I sometimes discover new music which I always love.

Huge thanks to @indie_thinking for sending these to me it’s really appreciated.

Who is your favourite group or music artist?

The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner

Fame comes at a price…

The Griffin Sisters had the world at their feet, catapulted to stardom in the early 00’s before they become one of rock music’s greatest mysteries:

Zoe, effortlessly gorgeous, who loved the fans and the fame, dancing under the lights while her sister’s voice rang out across stadiums.

Cassie, never comfortable with the crowds or the attention, but with the voice of a generation, rich, haunting, touched with heartbreak.

It’s two decades since The Griffin Sisters broke up. Zoe’s a wife and mother, living in suburbia, occasionally recognised by a nostalgic fan. No one knows where Cassie is. The sisters haven’t spoken in years.

Now, despite her mum’s warnings, Zoe’s teenage daughter, Cherry, is determined to break into the music business and to discover the truth about what happened to the band all those years ago.

But as secrets emerge, Cassie and Zoe must face the consequences of their choices: the ones they made and the ones the music industry made for them. Can they forgive each other – and themselves? And will the Griffin Sisters ever make music again?

From the Number 1 bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes a glittering novel set in the world of pop music about sisters, motherhood and the dreams we chase.

Deep Cuts by Holly Brickley

The first time Joe plays Percy one of his songs in his college room in 2000, she instantly realises three things:

One, she is watching a star in the making.

Two, she can shape his music into something extraordinary.

Three, she will always be on the sidelines.

She swallows her jealousy and throws herself into collaboration, transforming Joe’s songs into indie hits with her blistering critiques.

But there’s an undercurrent to the music they’re making – something undeniably electric, hurtling towards love. And then, almost inevitably, towards heartbreak.

As Joe steps into the spotlight, can Percy bear to watch on in silence?

And can he exist there without her?

Deep Cuts is an irresistible novel about passion and obsession, love and longing and, above all, our need to be heard.

Book Synopsis:

Welcome to The Surf House

Where everyone’s escaping something…

High on the cliffs of Morocco, far from the city lights and the souks, stands The Surf House: a sanctuary for travellers chasing sunshine and waves.

But the idyll hides a dark mystery.

And when Bea washes in, seeking refuge after a dangerous encounter in Marrakesh, she soon gets caught in the current.

A woman her age – who stayed in the same area, walked the same beaches, met the same guests – disappeared one year earlier, vanishing without trace.

Somewhere inside The Surf House lies the truth – but there’ll be a price for uncovering it…

My Review:

The Surf House is an atmospheric, gripping and twisty destination thriller which I really enjoyed.

Firstly I really loved the location of this book which the author brings to life with her vivid descriptions.  I felt like I was actually there at The Surf House with the characters and enjoying the wonderful lifestyle the characters have there.  Morrocco has long been on my bucket list of places I’d love to visit and this book has made me even more determined to try and make it a reality.

I thought all of the characters were fabulous creations that I enjoyed following throughout the book. None of them are particularly likeable and all seem to be hiding something which made me immediately intrigued upon meeting them. I did have a soft spot for Bea though who seemed to be genuinely lost and just trying to find her place in the world.  The flashbacks to her childhood were difficult to read about and I soon found myself wishing I could reach into the book to give her the huge hug I felt she needed.

The book had a great pace to it and I soon found myself drawn into the intriguing mysteries surrounding the surf house.  I actually thought I’d guessed what had happened fairly early on but was thrilled to discover that I was wrong as the many twists soon sent the story in a completely different direction which I always love.  The ending was brilliant and while I had hoped that it would end in a slightly different way it was quite realistic as everything wasn’t left neatly tied up in a bow.

If you are a fan of twisty thrillers, then I highly recommend this book.

Huge thanks to Indie Thinking and Harper Collins for sending me a copy of this book.

About The Author:

Sunday Times bestseller, Lucy Clarke, is the author of eight destination thrillers, which include Waterstones Thriller of the Month, The Castaways, and Richard and Judy Book Club pick, One of the Girls. Lucy’s novels have sold over a million copies in the UK alone and are published in over twenty territories worldwide.

No Escape has been filmed as a major international TV series for Paramount+ due for release in 2023, and three further novels are currently in development for screen.

When Lucy isn’t away on research trips (her favourite part of the job!), she can be found writing from a beach hut on the south coast of England. She lives with her husband and their two children.

Good morning everyone and happy Friday. I was lucky enough to receive these fabulous looking books from the lovely Karen at Orenda Books this week!

❤️ Dangerous by Essie Fox
💛Kill Them With Kindness by Will Carver
❤️Son by Johanna Gustawsson

I’ve been a huge fan of these authors for a while so I’m very excited to read them soon. I’m actually on the blog tour for Dangerous so I’ll be reading that one next I think. If you haven’t tried these authors or any of the other fabulous Orenda titles then I highly recommend them.

Huge thanks to @orendabooks for sending these to me it’s really appreciated!

It’s my kids’ last day of term and I’m off to see my two youngest in their Easter service this morning before working this afternoon. They then have Brownies and Beavers tonight with my youngest going to an alpaca farm which I’m sure he’ll love but will make pick ups difficult. I’m already excited to snuggle in later and read my book with a glass of wine 🤣

In ‘Killing Them With Kindness ‘ a scientist makes a pill that makes people kind. What pill would you develop to change the world?

Find out more about the books below ⬇️

Son by Johanna Gustawsson & Thomas Enger

Everyone here is lying…
 
Expert on body language and memory, and consultant to the Oslo Police, psychologist Kari Voss sleepwalks through her days, and, by night, continues the devastating search for her young son, who disappeared on his birthday, seven years earlier.
 
Still grieving for her dead husband, and trying to pull together the pieces of her life, she is thrust into a shocking local investigation, when two teenage girls are violently murdered in a family summer home in the nearby village of Son.
 
When a friend of the victims is charged with the barbaric killings, it seems the case is closed, but Kari is not convinced. Using her skills and working on instinct, she conducts her own enquiries, leading her to multiple suspects, including people who knew the dead girls well…
 
With the help of Chief Constable Ramona Norum, she discovers that no one – including the victims – are what they seem. And that there is a dark secret at the heart of Son village that could have implications not just for her own son’s disappearance, but Kari’s own life, too…
 
For fans of Harlan Coben, Lars Kepler, Jo Nesbo and Jorn Lier Horst … and The Mentalist

Kill Them With Kindness by Will Carver

The threat of nuclear war is no longer scary. This is much worse. It’s invisible. It works quickly.
 
And it’s coming.
 
The scourge has already infected and killed half the population in China and it is heading towards the UK. There is no time to escape. The British government sees no way out other than to distribute ‘Dignity Pills’ to its citizens: One last night with family or loved ones before going to sleep forever … together. Because the contagion will kill you and the horrifying news footage shows that it will be better to go quietly.
 
Dr Haruto Ikeda, a Japanese scientist working at a Chinese research facility, wants to save the world. He has discovered a way to mutate a virus. Instead of making people sick, instead of causing death, it’s going to make them… nice.
 
Instead of attacking the lungs, it will work into the brain and increase the host’s ability to feel and show compassion. It will make people kind.
 
But governments don’t want a population in agreement. They want conflict and outrage and fear. Reasonable people are harder to control.
 
Ikeda’s quest is thoughtful and noble, and it just might work. Maybe humanity can be saved. Maybe it doesn’t have to be the end.
 
But kindness may also be the biggest killer of all…

Dangerous by Essie Fox

When fiction is fatal…
 
Living in exile in Venice, the disgraced Lord Byron revels in the freedoms of the city
But when he is associated with the deaths of local women, found with wounds to their throats, and then a novel called The Vampyre is published under his name, rumours begin to spread that Byron may be the murderer…
 
As events escalate and tensions rise – and his own life is endangered, as well as those he holds most dear – Byron is forced to play detective, to discover who is really behind these heinous crimes. Meanwhile, the scandals of his own infamous past come back to haunt him…
 
Rich in gothic atmosphere and drawing on real events and characters from Byron’s life, Dangerous is a riveting, dazzling historical thriller, as decadent, dark and seductive as the poet himself…

 

Book Synopsis:

In 1924, four-year-old Cecily Larson’s mother reluctantly drops her off at an orphanage in Chicago, promising to be back once she’s made enough money to support both Cecily and herself. But she never returns, and shortly after high-spirited Cecily turns seven, she is sold to a traveling circus to perform as the “little sister” to glamorous bareback rider Isabelle DuMonde. With Isabelle and the rest of the circus, Cecily finally feels she’s found the family she craves. But as the years go by, the cracks in her little world begin to show. And when teenage Cecily meets and falls in love with a young roustabout named Lucky, she finds her life thrown onto an entirely unexpected—and dangerous—course.

In 2015, Cecily is now 94 and living a quiet life in Minnesota, with her daughter, granddaughter, and great-grandson. But when her family decides to surprise her with an at-home DNA test, the unexpected results not only bring to light the tragic love story that Cecily has kept hidden for decades but also throw into question everything about the family she’s raised and claimed as her own for nearly seventy years. Cecily and everyone in her life must now decide who they really are and what family—and forgiveness—really mean.

Sweeping through a long period of contemporary history, The Hidden Life of Cecily Larson is an immersive, compelling, and entertaining family drama centered around one remarkable woman and her determination to survive.

My Review:

The Hidden Life Of Cecily Larson is an absorbing, emotional read that I thoroughly enjoyed.  In this book we follow Cecily through three main periods of her life from childhood through to 94.  These are all divided into three timelines which are clearly marked at the beginning of the chapter making it easy to distinguish between them.  Out of the three I much preferred the two earlier timelines as one follows Cecily’s life in a travelling circus and the other her experiences during the second world war.  I thought the circus scenes were especially great to read about as the author’s vivid descriptions made me feel like I was actually there watching the show alongside the audience. It also made me nostalgic for childhood visits to the circus which I always loved.

The author has created some brilliant character’s in this book which I quickly grew fond of.  My favourite character was definitely Cecily who I quickly grew to care for as she goes through so much in her life.  Her strength and tenacity (even in old age) was wonderful to read about, making me wish I knew her in real life as I’d love to be able to hear all her stories.  Her daughter’s were also interesting to follow, especially with how they deal with the different problems in their lives.  Their obvious love and respect for Cecily was beautiful to see as was how much they seek out her opinion on things.

Overall I absolutely loved this book and have continued thinking about it long after reading.  The pace was perhaps a bit slow for the first half of the book but it soon speeds up and becomes very gripping indeed.  I loved seeing the three timelines came together and seeing the amazing life that Cecily had lived.  There were many twist in the story which kept me guessing and actually took the story in a completely different direction then I was expecting which I always love. 

Huge thanks to Anne from Random Things Tours for inviting me onto the blog tour and to harper for my copy of this book.

About The Author:

Ellen Baker is the author of the novels THE HIDDEN LIFE OF CECILY LARSON, KEEPING THE HOUSE, and I GAVE MY HEART TO KNOW THIS. She has worked as a museum curator and as a bookseller and event coordinator at an independent bookstore. Originally from the Upper Midwest, she currently lives on the coast of Maine.

Good evening everyone I’m thrilled to be on the cover reveal today for one of my most anticipated books of the year – Thorns & Fire by Helen Scheverer.

Thorns & Fire is the second book in the fantastic The Ashes Of Thezmarr series and as I was a huge fan of the first book I’m very excited to read this one.

Thorns & Ember is out on the 31st July 2025 and you can find out more about the book below ⬇️

Huge thanks to @bookbreak and @panmacmillan for inviting me to be a part of the cover reveal. Apologies it’s a bit late my scheduled post didn’t work…

Book Synopsis:

A golden thread joined them, a bond that went deeper than love – and it had nearly destroyed them.

Wren Embervale and Torj Elderbrock share a dark and bloody history. With Thezmarr on the brink of another war, and overwhelmed by the force of their feelings for one another, Torj discovers there is far more to their bond than mere passion. The legendary Warsword is determined to protect Wren at all costs, even if it means lying to her . . . Even if it means losing her forever.

Meanwhile, Wren is struggling to find her place in the world – both as an advanced student of alchemy at the ancient academy of Drevenor, and as one of the heirs to a lost kingdom. With the midrealms once again facing destruction, Wren must decide: Loyalty or liberation? Legacy or love?

As new political players emerge, Wren discovers that her gift for alchemy is more powerful than she ever imagined – and that it could tear the kingdoms apart.

Will she and Torj find their way back to each other, or will the ancient magic that binds them become their undoing?

Perfect for romantasy fans, Thorns & Fire, Helen Scheuerer’s spellbinding sequel to Iron & Embers, delivers heart-wrenching choices, a found family to root for and a love that defies the odds.

About The Author:

Helen Scheuerer is the fantasy author of the bestselling series, The Oremere Chronicles, the Curse of the Cyren Queen quartet and The Legends of Thezmarr. Her work has been highly praised for its strong, flawed female characters and its action-packed plots.Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a creative writing degree and a Masters of Publishing. She has been a full-time author since 2018 and now lives amidst the mountains in New Zealand where she is constantly dreaming up new stories.

Good evening everyone I hope you’ve had a good day. I was lucky enough to receive this amazing book post today.

I’ve been a huge fan of this author’s previous books so I’ve been very excited to read more from her. Slow Burn Summer sounds fantastic and I’m really looking forward to reading it.

Huge thanks to @penguinukbooks for sending this to me I’m really appreciate it.

Slow Burn Summer is out on the 5th June 2025 and you can find out more about the book below ⬇️

Now serious question… Do I share the fruitellas with the kids or keep them for myself? 🤣

Book Synopsis:

Sometimes pretending to be someone else helps you figure out who you really are…

Freshly divorced and in need of a job – Kate Elliot’s life needs a rewrite. So when she unearths an old letter from her ex-talent agent, Jojo Francisco – she takes it as a sign from the universe to brush off her old acting skills and become someone else entirely.

Meanwhile, Charlie Francisco is back from LA, leaving his dumpster fire of a life behind. He may be well over his head in filling the shoes of his late eccentric father but he is determined to prove he can, and he might just have the job for Kate: to pose as the author for a novel that the real writer wants nothing to do with. It’s not quite the glamorous gig she was hoping for, but he’s looking for a nobody and she needs cash fast.

When Kate and Charlie meet they’re all friction and sparks, but they have one thing in common – they’re determined to play their parts. But as the summer heat ups and the lies get bigger and bigger, can they stick to their lines or will they go off-script?

A steamy and sweet love story set in the steamy heat of a London summer, from the queen of the ‘what if?’ romance Josie Silver.

About The Author:

Josie Silver is a writer of love stories.

Her debut novel One Day in December was a Sunday Times & NY Times bestseller and has been translated into more than twenty-five languages.

Josie lives in the midlands with her husband, their sons, and an ever changing cast of animals.